I write the weekly childrens book column for The South Wales Evening Post. I review childrens books from picture books, middle grade fiction, non fiction and young adult books. I am officially a bookworm.

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Friday, 25 May 2018

This week my children's book reviews include a powerful tale of compassion, an enchanting bedtime story about finding dragons, an intriguing whodunnit set on a train journey across Europe and teenage thriller of obsession, fame and forgiveness.

Also in the Weekend section of The South Wales Evening Post.

Enjoy!

BOOK OF THE WEEK

THE DAY WAR CAME BY NICOLA DAVIES & REBECCA COBB PICTURE
BOOK 5+
This powerful picture book portrays a little girl who
lives in a war zone. Seen through the eyes of a child whose life has
been torn apart, we share her hopes as she embarks on the dangerous
journey to a safer country. Will she be welcomed? In aid of Help
Refugees, this spotlights the right of every child to be safe and to
have an education. A tale of humanity and compassion that is worth
sharing.
ISBN 9781406376326 HB Walker £10

WISHING
FOR A DRAGON BY BECKY CAMERONPICTURE BOOK 4+
Olive, Barney
and Ella are whisked away on a whirlwind adventure in a hot air
balloon, just before bedtime. The enchanting pen and wash
illustrations capture in detail their madcap escapades with pirate
teddy bears, tigers, unicorns and a friendly dragon. It is a
celebration of children's imagination and their boundless energy. The
action-packed quest highlights the importance of make-believe and
will appeal to all children's inner explorer.
ISBN 9781444936223
HB Hodder £12.99

THE SECRET OF THE NIGHT
TRAIN BY SYLVIA BISHOPCHILDREN 9+
A missing diamond, one
curious girl, an unexpected detective and a handful of suspects. Can
the young girl, Max unravel the mystery of the diamond as they travel
by train across Europe? A deliciously quirky adventure full of
action, humour and an array of characters that Hercule Poirot would
relish. Peppered with engaging illustrations by Marco Guadalupi, this roller coaster
ride will whiz the reader through fascinating European cities while
trying to solve this intriguing whodunnit. All aboard!
ISBN
9781407184401 PB Scholastic £6.99

ALL OF
THIS IS TRUE BY LYGIA DAY PENAFLORYOUNG ADULT 14+
When
four Long Island teenagers are befriended by the elusive author of
their favourite book, Fatima Ro, they can't believe their luck. A
year later they are shocked her latest book has been based on their
darkest secrets which they shared with her. The story is revealed
through interviews, emails and personal journals that slowly uncovers
obsession, revenge and betrayal. An intriguing look at the culture of
celebrity and forgiveness. For fans of We Were Liars.
ISBN
9781408890936 PB Bloomsbury £7.99

Friday, 18 May 2018

This week my children's book reviews include a thrilling cycling adventure, a board book about all different types of boats, a kids introduction to vegetarianism and a coming of age drama dealing with domestic abuse.

Also in the Weekend section of The South Wales Evening Post.

Enjoy!

BOOK
OF THE WEEK

CHAMPION
OF CHAMPIONS BY DAVID BRAYLEY

YOUNG
ADULT 12+

Professional
road cyclist Daniel must remember what inspired his love for racing
if he want's to succeed in the toughest race of his career. This
adventure is interwoven with family loyalty, betrayal and a mystery
surrounding legendary racer Fausto Coppi. Peppered with sporting
facts it transports us through the beautiful Gower Peninsula to Italy
as we follow Daniel's quest. This is perfect for enthusiasts of all
ages as it captures the agony and ecstasy of cycling.

ISBN
9780993510199 PB Scratching Shed £7.99

BOARD
BOOK 3+

BOATS
ARE BUSY BY SARA GILLINGHAM

An
illuminating board book identifying different types of boats from oil
tankers to cruise ships. Young children will love the bright primary
colours and strong shapes capturing seafaring life. It is also
fascinating to learn how boats communicate with each other. Different
nautical flags show a variety of messages such as when fishing nets
are in the water or when dangerous cargo is on board. A brilliant,
informative book for little sailors and sea lovers alike.

ISBN
9780714876719 HB Phaidon £7.95

CHILDREN
9+

LIVING
ON THE VEG BY CLIVE GIFFORD & JACQUELINE MELDRUM

It's
National Vegetarian Week and this is a fun accessible guide for
children on how to live a vegetarian life. It's full of tips, facts
and delicious recipes that clearly outline what it means to live
without eating meat and how to do it healthily. It explores different
terms such as pescetarian and vegan, while looking at animal welfare,
pollution and key information about nutrition. The jazzy layout and
bullet point facts make it easily digestible.

ISBN
9781526306098978 HB Wayland Books £12.99

YOUNG
ADULT 12+

ME
MAM. ME DAD. ME. BY MALCOLM DUFFY

Danny's
Mam has a new boyfriend and life seems good until cracks start to
show. This tense thriller tackles issues of domestic violence which
brings to light a subject that is too often hidden away. At it's
heart is a teenager's love for his mother and the lengths he will go
to protect her. The story doesn't pull its punches but is liberally
laced with hope and humour which makes it a memorable and touching
read.

Friday, 11 May 2018

This week my children's book reviews include a handsome hungry fox, a mysterious unicorn, a pioneer of fashion design and an inspiring coming of age story for teenagers.

Also in the Weekend section of The South Wales Evening Post.

Enjoy!

BOOK OF THE WEEK

GASPARD THE FOX BY ZEB
SOANES AND JAMES MAYHEW

PICTURE BOOK 4+

Gaspard
the Fox is searching for his supper one Summer's evening along the
local canal and beyond. Finty a friendly dog and a posh cat called
Peter helps him on his quest in this charming tale based on the
author's adopted urban fox. The colourful and masterly illustrations
bring Gaspard's urban adventure to life, and all young readers are
destined to fall for this charming, handsome fox. A modern day
classic and a delight to read aloud.

ISBN
9781912213542 HB Graffeg £12.99

SOPHIE JOHNSON: UNICORN
EXPERT BY MORAG HOOD & ELLA OKSTAD

PICTURE BOOK 4+

Sophie
thinks she is a unicorn expert. But is she? Sophie dresses up her
toys and pets as unicorns and teaches them to hunt for food, tidy up
and look out for danger. Strange she doesn't notice when a real
unicorn visits her house! The vivacious and animated illustrations
full of detail add to the little girl's obliviousness to the presence
of her magical friend. For fans of A Tiger Who Came to Tea.

ISBN
9781471145629 PB Simon & Schuster £6.99

ROSE'S DRESS OF DREAMS
BY KATHERINE WOODFINE & KATE PANKHURST

CHILDREN 7+

Young
Rose dreams of sewing beautiful dresses for the ladies of Paris. A
chance encounter offers her the perfect opportunity to create a dress
for royalty. This inspiring tale is based on the life of Rose Bertin,
the woman who created haute-couture at the court of Marie Antoinette.
The story is embroidered with stunning descriptions of the dresses,
and the illustrations are tailor-made to bring this charming tale to
life. Perfectly designed for early readers.

ISBN
978178112768 PB Barrington Stoke £6.99

THE EARTH MY BUTT, AND
OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS BY CAROLYN MACKLER

YOUNG ADULT 14+

Fifteen-year-old
Virginia feels like a fat, awkward outsider in her perfect family
especially next to her older brother who she idolises. When Virginia
is forced to see him in a harsher reality, she must reassess her own
life and how she really would like people to treat her. A hilarious,
relevant and astute tale about the ups and downs of growing up,
family life and friendship. An emboldening story about girl power and
having self-confidence.

Thursday, 10 May 2018

DRAWING ON BOOKS BLOG TOUR :

NIGHT OF THE PARTY

BY TRACEY MATHIAS

I INTERVIEWED TRACEY ABOUT HER NOVEL NIGHT OF THE PARTY AND HER LIFE AS AN AUTHOR

NIGHT OF THE PARTY is a political thriller and love story for teens, set in a dystopian, near-future England that’s governed by a hard right, ultra nationalist party.

Was there any particular incident during the build up to or during Brexit that inspired the politics in Night of the Party?

There wasn't a single specific incident; it was more a matter of picking up on general political trends at the time when I was developing the characters and plot of the novel, in late
2014 and early 2015. This was in the run up to the General Election of 2015 when UKIP was becoming increasingly vocal, picking up support in the polls, and even winning a couple of Parliamentary seats as the result of defections from the Eurosceptic wing of
the Tory party. The Party in the book really resulted from imagining the most extreme version of that kind of nationalist, anti-immigration agenda that I could. The dystopian politics of the novel were fully formed, and most of the details worked out, before
I'd even heard the word Brexit, and long before the EU referendum. What's been eerie has been to see how aspects of that world have been mirrored in real life in the last couple of years; most recently, of course, with the Windrush scandal.

What's your favourite part of Night of the Party?

I like the Sophie scenes, in both Ash and Zara's memories. Partly because they reach back to a happier time that's less shadowed by both grief and danger, partly because Sophie is
probably my favourite character in the book. And the sense of light and lightness in those scenes also made them enjoyable to write.

Which character do you most identify with?

Ash (though I can't do maths or run to save my life). But I was rather like him as a teenager: academically ambitious, rather serious, very focussed on getting to Uni, a bit too
well behaved. And we share a defining experience, although the details are very different: I had also lost a sister, and was my parents' only surviving child.

Do you hope to inspire teens to become more engaged in politics?

It's obviously a key theme of the book that politics has concrete effects on individual lives. So I would certainly hope that readers would be prompted to think about how politics affects them and others. In
particular the novel raises issues surrounding people's rights to move across borders, and the status and treatment of people who find themselves (for whatever reason) living somewhere other than where they were born – questions which have a sharp and immediate
relevance now in the wake of political developments that I didn't predict when I started to write: the hostile environment, the Windrush scandal, and the impact of Brexit on the status of EU citizens in the UK.

Why did you want to become a writer and has anything surprised you about being a professional writer that you didn't expect?

As a child I was a bookworm and a daydreamer; I scribbled stories, and typed them on my Dad's heavy typewriter (on pink paper, for some reason that I can't now remember).
Throughout my childhood, I dreamed of being a writer when I grew up, then I stopped writing when I started doing English A level, cowed by the brilliance of what I was reading. But the ambition to write never entirely went away, and when my youngest daughter
started school I happened to come up with an idea for a story for children – which became my first fantasy novel. I suppose one thing that's surprised me about being a professional writer is how full of ups and downs the journey has been. That first novel
was published in Germany in 2009 but it's taken many setbacks and another nine years to get to my UK debut.

What is a typical writing day for you?

I'm not sure there is such a thing...! But I'm definitely better in the mornings than the afternoons; if I don't get some work done before midday the day is likely to be
a write off (sorry, I didn't intend that pun but I'm letting it stand.). Sometimes I work at home: early, at my desk, later, on the sofa; sometimes at the kitchen table, sometimes in the garden. But I also sometimes meet up with other writers and work alongside
them for solidarity and company. Are you working on your next book and if so can we have a sneaky clue what it's about?

It's at a VERY early stage: I have a couple of characters and a setting in my head, and a very loose sketch of the plot, and that's about all! It will have some things in common
with Night of the Party: it will be set in a world that resembles but isn't quite real life, and will look at how individual lives are changed by the bigger context in which they exist.

Who is your favourite literary hero or heroine?

Too many to choose from! But reading Middlemarch for the first time at eighteen was one of the great moments of my life and I still feel a strong affinity with Dorothea Brooke
(also too serious and well behaved).

Which is your favourite bookshop?

My all-time favourite bookshop has gone now. It was an indie at the top of the street where I live. The interior was long and narrow, and they'd added a gallery half way
up the wall to increase the shelf space. It was a shop run for and by book lovers; on at least one occasion I went in to find the assistants reading out loud to one another from their latest favourite book. It was driven out of business when one of the chains
opened in the local shopping centre. Nothing has quite replaced that for me, though I do enjoy the London Review of Books shop in Bloomsbury. It has such a comprehensive range of books that it always makes me feel totally under-read, but the café has brilliant
cakes which help to compensate for the sense of literary inadequacy...

What's your favourite quote?

Again, too many to choose from. But I do love the lines from Little Gidding that I used in Night of the Party:

We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we first started.

Thank you to Tracey and Scholastic for inviting me to be part of the blog tour. You can follow them on #NightoftheParty #StopTheParty @traceymathias @scholasticuk

About : Tracey Matthias is writer-in-residence at the DaCapo Music Foundation. She previously taught at a sixth form college and worked for the British Council on international development projects. Political thriller,

Friday, 4 May 2018

This week my children's book reviews include a magical dolphin adventure, a little owl looking for a friend, a celebration of unusual words and a chilling murder mystery.

Also in the Weekend section of The South Wales Evening Post.

Enjoy!

BOOK OF THE WEEK

SONG OF THE DOLPHIN BOY
BY ELIZABETH LAIRD

CHILDREN 8+

Finn
has always felt different in the tiny fishing village of Stromhead.
Why is he told to stay away from the sea? When he accidentally swims
with dolphins, he finds he has a special connection with them. But
what can he do when his new friends are in danger from plastic and
rubbish in the water? An illustrated magical eco-adventure full of
friendship and excitement that kids can enjoy while learning an
important environmental message.

ISBN
9781509828234 PB Macmillan £6.99

A T-WIT FOR A T-WOO BY
CHARLIE FARLEY & LAYN MARLOW

PICTURE BOOK 4+

Little
owl Twoo sets off on a brave quest through the night to find a true
friend to sing with him. On his journey, he meets deer, bats and
badgers, and even a hungry fox. Twoo discovers on his adventure that
when you believe in yourself, anything is possible. The twilight
illustrations are captivating alongside the lyrical rhyming text as
the owl searches for his perfect companion. An adorable story that is
ideal for bedtime reading.

ISBN
9781408346495 HB Orchard £12.99

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORD
BY NICOLA EDWARDS & LUISA URIBE

CHILDREN 8+

This
thoughtfully illustrated book celebrates the magic of language. It is
a collection of words that have no direct one-word translation and
are unique to particular countries. In Finnish 'poronkusema' means
the distance a reindeer can walk before needing the toilet! However,
you might not need a translation for the Welsh word Hiraeth meaning a
nostalgic longing for the homeland or past. A book of linguistic
curiosities ideal to give to a child or adult.

ISBN
9781848576452 360 Degrees HB £12.99

YOUR TURN TO DIE BY SUE
WALLMAN

YOUNG ADULT 13+

While
Leah is on a family holiday, their fun is derailed by new girl Tatum
and the discovery of sixty-year-old remains of a teenage girl in the
garden. Strange accidents and unexplained events begin to happen.
Also what is causing her cousin Poppy's illness? Question marks hang
over the cast of characters making it a modern-day whodunnit worthy
of Agatha Christie. A chilling thriller with an almighty twist at the
end that you won't be prepared for.